Switch support



Oct. 23, 1923.

E. .J. MARTEL ET AL SWITCH SUPPORT Filed Oct. 25 1919 2 Sheets-Shoat 1Robe/Z 61 Sande/:7

Patented Oct. 23, 1923.

EDGAR J. MABTEL AN D ROBERT G. SANDERS, OF ELACONIA, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

SWITCH Application filed October 25, 1919 To all whom it may concern Beit known that we, EDGAR J. MAR'I'EL and ROBERT G. SANDERS, citizens ofthe United States, residing at'Laconia, in the 5 county of Bellcnap andState of New Hamp shire, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Switch Supports, of which the following is aspecification. Y

The invention provides novel means for the control'of the headlights andsignalling meansof automobiles and mechanically propelled vehiclesgenerally. 7

The invention relates to electrically operated lights "andsignallingmechanism and supplies controlling means which are readily accessible atalltim'es for convenient operation without requirin' the drivertomelaxgrip o'n'thesteermg weel?- Tlie controlling means admit of independentoperation of the lightsand-si'gnal andthe throwing of the lights out' ofaction' during: daylight so as to conserve current.

The drawings illustrate a preferred embodim'e nt of the invention 1However, its to be understood-that in adapting the same to meetdifierent conditions, various changes in theform; proportion and minordetails of construction may be resorted to without de-- V partin fromthe nature'of the invention as claim'e hereinafter.-

' taclied Figure-1 wheel of a mechanically propelled vehicle at theinvention;

Figure 2*is=a sectional detail of the sup porting arm on the line 2-2ofFig; 1, show in 'thepa'rts'omalargerscale. 1 I

and' post,"showing a modified form of support for the controllin means.

"Figure Qis a sectiona l detaihofthe attaching means-of the sup it ontheiline t-a of Fig. 3, scale. I a t Figure 5 is a view similar to Fig.3 of a further modification, the steering wheel and its postbeing shownin dotted lines.

' Figure 6 is a top plan view of the parts illustrated in Fig. 5.

' ".R'eferri 'ig to the drawings hereto at j. v is a I plan 'view of thesteering 1 provided'with controlling means embodying- 1gurd 3 is a 'sideview of asteering wheel.

the parts being shown on a larger sorroa'r.

Serial No. 333,223.

Figure 7 is a sectional-detail of the support on a larger. scale showingmore clearly the switch element. I

Figure 8 is a sectional detail of the modi fied form of support shown inFigs 5 and 6 on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6, the same being illustrated on alarger scale.

Figure 9 is. a detail viewof the holding means illustrated in Fig. 7.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indi cated-in the several-views of the drawings by likerefrence'characters.

' Todemonstrate the application of the invention asteeringmheel; 1and'its supportingrpost2 are. illustrated- These parts may switch be ofany well known construction-much: as

' utilizedin' motor'vehiclesn a 1 J Tliei support fonthe controllingmeans morefip'articuarly to land 2 thegisup port-iconsists ofa hollowarm, 3.which.is atta'chedto-the steering post2 by means-oi a bracket,the latter comprising a base 4-a .cap :5, mprojecting4end-61and adependingsocket 1:7 The socket- 7 and .cap ,fiware in-ilme,

SOOketriI :extending over; the. extremityof the -fpostsandthegcapifinproviding a finish so as a to presenti-aineat ap earance; Theprojectingwnd 6 iproivides drcoupling of the :arm Bette theizbracket.ThG'FBIGmGDl 4 extends alon 'ide-the ost,--2;and:is1adapted to'be se--;;cdre -itheretdlijsi1itable fastenings 8.= The arml3 -is=prefe'rabl=-n 1ade tapering throughout 'its leng'thfan :terminates iman end 9Fwhich contains the switch mechanism shown 'inore -particularlyjin Fig,7. The support is 'dis osedtinlzsu'ch a manner as to bringv the switchelements within convenientreach of :the rimI-of; the steeringwheel 1750that said 'switchr,element may be readily and conveniently manipulatedwithout requiring the operator to .relax thehold upon the steeringwheel. The: parts 10, 11 and 12 represent the notched segment and usualcontrol levers of a mechanically' propelled vehicle.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 4; the support comprises an arm 13 and a clamp1.4 the lat ter being secured to the steering post 2. The arm 13 isdisposed at an inclination to the he I horizontal and its upper endterminates just beneath the rim of the steering wheel within convenientreach of the driver. The arm 13 like the arm 3 is hollow so as toreceive the severa .wir srcpn nect ingt he s wi 'h elemcn ts with-t eieecizri'cal'ly' operatedi evices, not shown. The switch elements aredisposed at the .u per end ofithe arm 13 and are substantla iy" 'ths'arfie 'as those illustrated in i igs. 5 and 6 show a further modifiedform of support which: consists oi-a bar bent into the shapesubstantially shown and oompriisihg w portionsi 16,117-anrL-18. :Thep0rtiOTt-lt'r exbendsialoiigside thersteering post 2 and is made fastthereto hymehns of clamps 19. The portion 18 overhangs the steeringwheei'as shown more clearly in Fig. 5 and ais cnrved: laterally-esindicated in Fig. 6 and terminates iiran end which receives the s'witch'leihents. The; a" ortion 1'6 connects the parts ilfi' and 3289 mix Iinclines upwardly andoutwardly from thestee'r'ing post. i The bar 15 'isformechwith arib2l) which is-aper- '1ti11d"60 :rceiye the'cohduetingiiwires. The

form of supporti is susceptible ofi general'applichtion {and rovides*for "disposing the switch=elm'ent s in a'p'lanej 'a bove-the steeringwheel which" may bmpre'fei redi in some in- -gtfirfe sgmf' i'i azi z: m;i.

As hereinbefore stated the switchiele'rnents and cooperating" parts "aresubstantiall'j;- the same irrespective ="of' tlie -liature of the su p-'firb and are flllrst'rateat iindetaiL irifFigs. 7 afid 9'. manall-:rfi'oto'r driven wehicles are previde'd with an 'anfihle signafb ofsolhe nalzure; The 'switch element al is rov'idd for closihg- -tiie=cireiijwortlrisrau ible-"signal,

'jihd qbns ist'siof a meniberfpivotled at 22 and jiormdlly actedhpon bvmeatsota sfirin 23 iiuhpofitedfirr'norntal or opempbsitfon. Y I606"or-ahe'wi s at the"signal isilhistfated at :24 "and"i'connects 'withthe elementfi22. The other w1*r-'i indicatedat 25-' afid connects 'withakohtaee asg h sho wn 'inozie clearly in-"Fig. rene si areiiediei ntmiaiopen. {Mani illatiofof the-switcwbleinent 21 closes l ahssinal; cirnuilrthrough: the contaet 26 as will be eadi'l a prleiated. The parts maylight is dimmed. A contact 32 similar to the contact 31 is electricallyconnected direct with the head light. Proper manipulation of the switchelement 28 enables the light Lobe controlled either directly or by[[1021115 01 the dimmer. The element 28 is adapted to be held in neutralposition as in dicated in Fig. 7 by means of a suitable catch 33. Aswitch element 34 carries insu lated c ontacts 34 adapted, when theswitch is in'p'roper position, to cooperate through contact 35 and}? andwires 35", 35 with both contacts 31 and 32 so as to admit of the lightmechanisinbeing thrown out of action during daytight thereby conservingthe electric fluid. When the light mechanism is to be thrown out ofaction the switch element 3% is moved so as to brcalgcontact with theeleinentsii lii and is held in inoperative position bymeansof a suitablecatch 36 to permit the foregoing coopera tion, of the switch 34 .with,the' contacts 35, i 35' the switch 34 is proyided with'two insulatedcontacts. It is observed that the projecting ends of the several swit chelements. are equippedfw-ith buttons to admit; of'their ready operation.='F 0r convenience and to avoid confusion the projecting ends olftheswitch elements. 31. and 28,;are dispos'ed at h n h suppo t wher asthD ise in'g end of the switchelement 34;is disposed atone sideof thesupport so as to be out of theway' andfnot' interfere withthe ready,

* manipulation ofthe elfiments z land 28. s

It will be understood from the foregoing taken in connection withtheiaeco mpanying drawings that, the -inventiongprovides 'rneans w ichmay be-read-ilyj attached to, the;steer.- 'ing post of a motorvehicle.so thatithe controlswitches' of the signal means-and lights may beconveniently disposed for-manipulation'ywith'outj requiringthe holdupqnthe steering wheel to be re1axed,-;the mechanism be ing-subhthatathe; light mechanism'g-n ay be thrown out of action when reqiiiredthereby preventing anycwaste ,of the electric current.

The foregoing "description and accompahying drawingsjhavereference 'to,what; may be considered the preferred pr. approved form of ourinvention. Itis'to be understood "that wemay make such chan es inconstructionandarrangement and' com '1- nhtion of parts, materials,dimensions, et cetera as may prove expedient. and fall within thescopeofthe invention as claimed.

Havingv thus fuliy described, ourinvention what we'claim' asnew-anddesire to secure by Letters Patent isz-f v 1 in means of the characterspecified a. supporting'meinber comprising a socket to fit the top of asteering: post, a bracket on the socket forsccnring-it to a post, switchelements mounted on the supporting member and adjacent the rim ofasteering wheel, and an independent switch clement upon the supportingmember projecting laterally In testimony whereof we aflix oursignatherefrom. tures in presence of two witnesses.

2. Electric controlling means for automobiles comprising a housinghaving a. socket EDGAR J. MARTEL. 5 to receive a steering post head, acap for ROBERT Gr. SANDERS.

the same, a base also on the housing adapted Witnesses: to be secured toa steering post, a hollow arm Dr. C. NORMANDIN, on the base and cap, anda switch on the arm.

F. E. NORMANDIN.

